Mail holder and stacker



Jan; 19, 1932. ,c, T, ROADES 1,841,982

MAIL HOLDER AND STACKER Filed May 29, .1930

Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITE .rATEs GLARENGE '1. ROADES, F LOUIS E,TEXAS MAIL HOLDER AND STACKER Application filed May as,

This invention relates to a device particularly adapted for use in theholding and stacking of mail.

7 It is aimed to provide a novel construction [0] in which the mail maybe readily applied and readily removed and in which the parts areadjustable according to the size of matter to be held or stacked.

v It is aimed to provide an exceedingly 10 simple, efiicient and durableconstruction which may be manufactured at minimum cost.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view of the device in side elevation,

Figure 2 is an end left in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

25 Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 1,and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings,

80 designates a base or supporting plate adapted to be disposed on atable, counter orsupported in any desired manner. Disposed over the baseand of a size substantially the same as the base, is a supporting plate11 which is vertically movable relatively to the base. Guide rods 12 arerigidly connected to the base 10 adjacent one end thereof by nuts 13engaging opposite sides of the base and which guide rods extend looselythrough openings 14 in the plate 11 and above the same have nuts 15 oran equivalent stop thereon.

A pair of vertically disposed hold-down rods or members 16 for mailmatter are movable to adjusted positions longitudinally of the plates 10and 11 beingaccommodated in elongated slots 17 and 18 of such plates.Such rods 16 also extend through an adjusting plate 19 which is movablelongitudinally on the base 10 so as to adiust the rods and the same isequipped with a bolt 20 movable in 20 view looking from the been tiedup, said rods are carried by a bar 1930; Serial No. esmev.

an elongated slot 21 at such base and adapted for tightening to securethe plate 19 and members 16 rigidly in diii'erent adjusted positions. Inaddition, the rods16 are held. against downward displacement through theengagement of nuts 22 thereon with the opposite sides of said base 10.

To coact with the hold-down members or rods 16 another pair of hold-downrods or members are provided as at 23, the same being connected togetherby. a handle as at 24. The rods 23 engage in notches or cut awayportions 25 in the adjacent end of theplate 11 and hence the rods 16'and 23 as well as the rods 12 serve as vertical guides forthe plate11"." The mail matter or the like is disposed on the plate 11 betweentherods 23 and 16'and is adapted to be held down by loops or grips26thereon, the plate 11 being de-p pressed asthe piles of mail matterincrease beneath the grips 26 Expansive coil springs of any suitabletype or the equivalent, may be provided at 27 between and in engagementwith the plates 10 and 11 toforcethe plate 11 upwardly. I

I The grips 26 are pivotally mounted as shown at 23 011 rods 16 and 23,and are normally held in efrfended positions by means of contractilecoil springs 26 connecting an eX- tension 26 of each grip 26 with therod 16 or 23 011 which the grip is inounted. "In order that rods 23maybe swung aside to permitremoval of abundle of mail after it has 28,which has hinge leaves 29 arranged ad jacent hingel'eaves 30 connectedto the plate 10. A pintle or rod 31' removably' passes through theleaves29 and 30 and a coil spring 32 surrounds therod 31 and is engaged withthe parts as shown so as to form a spring hingecandnormally maintain therods 23 in the position shownin the drawings.

i It will'thusbeen seen that the rods 16 may. be movedto'any desiredposition to adjust the partsacjcordingto the size of mail matter to beheld and stacked and that the mail mat-- ter is forced downwardlybetween and beneath grips'26 ontotheplatformllr The arrangement is suchthat the stacked mail Q matter maybe readily strapped and when the stackis to be removed, the handle 24 may be moved outwardly to the dottedline position shown in Figure 1, thus completely releasing the entirestack so that it may be readily removed.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention 2-- 1. A device of the class described comprisabase, a plate above said base to receive stacked material, hold-downmeans for the stacked material, said hold-down means constituting aguide for vertical movement of the plate, and including grip meanspivotally secured thereto and means urging upward movement of the plate.

2. A device of the class described comprising abase, a plate above thesame to receive stacked material, hold-down means for the stackedmaterial secured to said base, said hold-down means constituting a guidefor vertical movement of the plate, said hold-down means including gripmeans p-ivotally secured thereto and arranged above the plat tocooperate therewith in holding the stacked material, and spring meansurging the plate toward said grip means.

3. A device of the class described comprising a base, a plate above saidbase to receive stacked material, hold-down means for the stackedmaterial, said hold down means constituting a guide for verticalmovement of the plate, means urging upward movement of the plate, andmeans whereby said hold-down means is adjustable according to the sizeof matter to be stacked.

4. A device of the class described comprising a base, a first hold-downmeans, a second hold-down means, said first and second holddown meansbeing secured to said base, a plate to receive stacked matter guided inits movement by said hold-down means, means urging upward movement ofthe plate, the material to be stacked being adapted for engagement witheach of said hold-down means, and means mounting the second mentionedhold-down means for movement away from the first mentioned hold-downmeans to release the stack.

5. A device of the class described having ter hold-down means beingpivoted to the base, a plate vertically movable on said holddown means,means urging upward movement of the plate, and said plate being notchedto accommodate the movement of the second h0lddown means.

7 A device of the class described comprising a base, a plate slidablealong the base, hold-down means rising from the base, a plate over saidbase vertically movable on said hold-down means, spring means betweenthe base and second mentioned plate urging upward movement of the secondmentioned plate, said second mentioned plate having elongated slotsthrough which the hold-down means pass in order to permit adjustmentthereof, said second mentioned plate having notches in one end thereof,hold-down members engaging said notches, a handle connecting saidmembers, and spring hinge means securing said members to the base andnormally urging the same into said notches.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE T, ROADES.

a base, a plate to receive stacked material, a

hold-down means for said material extend ing above the plate, a secondhold-down means for said material extending above the plate, the firstand second hold-down means being secured to said base and constituting aguide for the plate, means urging upward movement of the plate, andmeans mounting the second hold-down means for movement away from thefirst hold-down means to release a stack.

6. A device of the class described comprising a base, a hold-down meansrising from the base, second hold-down means, the lat-

